Coming off a good 2021 season, the Farmersville volleyball team had plenty of returning talent poised for a district title run.

The biggest question heading into the new season was finding a new setter to help the Lady Farmers. A setter is an important piece to a team because the hitters can’t be successful without great passing.

That’s where Sophia White came in to help. The junior enrolled in Farmersville last spring after being homeschooled until then but relished the opportunity to go to public school and earn a spot on the volleyball team.

“Coming here, it was really the only reason I came back [to public school],” White said. “Only having two years left, I wanted to get the chance to play high school volleyball as everyone else does and the girls were super welcoming and helpful to me.”

She’s hit the ground running since the start of the season. Currently, White is eighth in the area among all classifications with 780 assists this season. Also, a setter for the club volleyball team Arete in McKinney, she’s found coming back to public school has been an easier transition and enjoys the opportunity to play volleyball.

“It wasn’t really difficult at all because I’m a pretty social person,” White said. “Everyone has been nice, and it’s been great here.”

As the team stands at 5-1 in the district standings and tied for first place overall, White’s impact has been felt throughout the team. The Lady Farmers have been one of the best attacking teams in the area this season, and her ability to work with the hitters like Angie Lee, Rendi Fetty and others has been key to that success. Going forward, that chemistry will continue to gel as this team hopes to make a deep playoff run.

“Adjusting to playing with Angie was difficult at first,” White said. “I’ve never played with a middle who jumps as high and is as tall as her. Everyone else was sort of easy to adjust to because I’m used to playing with different players and hitting different types of shots. One thing I like to do is ask my teammates each play where they like the ball and how they want it played, so it’s important to me to always find ways to improve.”

For head coach Harold Davis, White’s introduction to the varsity level has been a huge benefit to the Lady Farmers. Not only for her ability on the court but also for how she was able to integrate with the team so quickly this season.

“She came in and worked hard to learn our system and hit the ground running,” Davis said. “She’s got a great attitude. Sophia hadn’t played with any of these girls before, but they worked a lot during the summer and spent lots of time together working on timing with other players.”

As White solved the biggest question mark heading into the year for Farmersville, the team once again looks prepared for a potentially deep playoff run. With a few more games before the playoffs begin, she’s realizing she’s getting everything she wanted to since joining the team and the school, and now she hopes to help them reach the next level.

“Where we were at the beginning of the season to now, I feel like we’ve gotten a lot better,” White said. “I really want to go to state. There are a lot of girls on the team who are seniors and it’s their last time here. I want to make memories with them and help them achieve their goals.”

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